Kyrgyz Health Minister suggests raising funds from EEU member states to form national medicines database

BISHKEK. KAZINFORM - Funds for establishing a national database on pharmaceutical drugs could be raised from the member state of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), as these countries are interested in restoring the order in Kyrgyzstan's market and suppressing the smuggling, Kyrgyz Minister of Health Talantbek Batyraliyev said on April 10 at the session of the SDPK faction.

Creation of a unified database is a chance to protect the domestic market from non-relevant drugs for Kyrgyzstan, thus creating conditions for development of domestic production. "Work to restore order in the pharmaceuticals market should start right from customs or from a producer, if the drug is manufactured in Kyrgyzstan. All drugs that do not fall into this database will be prohibited to be sold in the country. Similar system operates, for example, in Kazakhstan, as well as in Turkey and many other countries around the world," said Batyraliyev. He necessitated the database to register all flowing in and out drugs, provide information about certified drugs to consumers, resolve the existing lists of medicines. In the future, a department for pharmaceutical control could be established. Mr.Batyraliyev also proposed to toughen the punishment for counterfeit drug trafficking. "If forgery and counterfeit trade would actually become punishable, pharmacies will finally accept only the registered goods," he concluded. Source: AKI Press